Walls at every turn
Subtitle: abuse of migrant domestic workers through Kuwait's sponsorship system
Contributors: Human Rights Watch (Organization)
Publisher: Human Rights Watch
Published: 2010
Place of publication: New York, NY
Language: eng
Number of pages: 97
ISBN-13: 9781564326935
Subjects: Human rights; Abuse of; Foreign workers; Household employees; Legal status, laws; Women household employees
Other titles: Abuse of migrant domestic workers through Kuwait's sponsorship system; Kuwait :
Description: Foreign domestic workers play an essential role in nearly every Kuwaiti household. More than 660,000 foreign domestic workers from Asia and Africa, the majority of whom are women, work for Kuwait's 1.3 million citizens, as well as for foreign residents living in the country. While some employers develop an affectionate and caring bond with the women who care for their children, cook their meals, and clean their homes, others take advantage of weak legal protections and an isolated home environment that shields human rights abuses from outside scrutiny. The sponsorship system, through which Kuwait currently regulates domestic labor migration, prevents workers from changing employers without sponsor consent and criminalizes workers for leaving their workplace without employer permission. These restrictions make it very difficult for a worker to terminate her employment with an employer, and effectively pressure workers to remain in the employment of even abusive employers. In particular, the 'absconding provision' in the implementing regulations of the Aliens' Residence Law penalizes workers whose employers report them as 'absconding' with up to six months in prison, or KD 400 in fines, or both of these punishments. This report makes recommendations to Kuwait's Parliament and government ministries regarding ways these issues may be addressed.
Notes: "This report was written by Priyanka Motaparthy, Leonard H. Sandler fellow for 2009-2010 in the Middle East and North Africa and Women's Rights Divisions of Human Rights Watch"--Acknowledgements.

"October 2010"--P. following t.p. verso.

Includes bibliographical references.